I am looking to get new mics that I will use predominantly as overheads but if possible have them good at something else as well. I have heard Rode NT5's are ok but fairly harsh, mxl 603's keep getting good comments, oktava o12's are hard to come by but well worth it I'm told.

I was looking for some suggestions obviously this is not high end but something reasonable would be great.

Oktavas are an excellent choice and are not hard to come by at all. Ebay USA has several sellers that sell the entire oktava range and they are well priced. haven't liked the nt5 when compared to more expensive mics but they are a solid performer at a very reasonable price.

Other options are c451 or c460, which can sometimes be had second hand quite cheaply. I have a pair of JZ BT201 with interchangeable caps and they are quite nice too. of course there are lots of options that aren't small diaphragm condensors and people often forget that many of the classic recordings were done with u87, u67 etc as overheads so dont be shy to try your LD too.

The AKG C451EB is a great suggestion and a very versatile mic. Another great option is the Carillion Axis 90 dual ribbon mic. I love these when you want the whole kit in the overheads. I find they need a bit of a cut around 350 to increase gain before feedback for live work and a bit of a boost of a high shelf and the whole kit is there.http://www.carillonaudio.com/products/m ... es/ribbon/

I dont have the "AA CM54" but I did buy a pair of chinese pencils from the factory that makes those and I also have enough experience with Dave Thomas to read his lines and know that they are exactly the same minus the AA badge. His statement "The CM-54 with the OMNI capsule fitted is becoming an industry favorite on acoustic guitar." is referring to an industry that I know nothing of. Having heard (and used) the chinese pencils on several sources I can categorically state I never use them on anything but when I wont risk damaging any other pencil condenser but still need a SDC or when I loan them out when my clients need something to do a specific job. Do they sound like a SDC? yes as all mics of a similar design sound more like each other than they do mics of a completely different design. Will you love them? not if you also listen to my 451 pair, JZ pair, km85 pair etc. And at 225us each you can probably get a used pair of 451b for not much more and they will last you the rest of your recording career. In fact I saw a mint secondhand pair of 451e for 325 each BIN and no one bid. I'm not discouraging you from exploring other options but there are reasons why certain mics have stood the test of time...

I'm with Myles - after having many great mics to do overheads with - now all I generally want to use is old 451'sAnd they are amazing on acoustics, snare and so many other appsSome amazing orchestra recordings have been done on them in the past too.

chribble wrote:ive been using little blondies when i record but theyre omni

I just got a Little Blondie from Ben and it is a fantastic mic - rich and warm sounding - unbelievable for the size and price. Just set it up in MS pattern with a STM5000 (tube) and am astounded at the sound.

chribble wrote:ive been using little blondies when i record but theyre omni

I just got a Little Blondie from Ben and it is a fantastic mic - rich and warm sounding - unbelievable for the size and price. Just set it up in MS pattern with a STM5000 (tube) and am astounded at the sound.

Glad you like the blondie Ian. Nice to see you using omni in the MS config. Most go for figure 8/cardioid but omni can be broader/pickup more space when positioned well and from my experience produce very good results. Love MS!!I've found that a little notch out around 600hz makes those little mics sound great.

another +1 for LuLu's on OHs, seem to just 'fit' everything in where they should be - tonality they're 2nd to none. Certainly taken my preference over our 451s but these were purchased new in the last 4 years so not the older capsule which tend to take preference when choosing these mics.

The Cascade fatheads either as a mono over the drummers head or spaced pair are also sweet for a warmer/richer tone. Be careful you've got sturdy stands though as they're heavy buggers!

Beez Neez Arabella's also work a treat too. Different sound yet again though...

I've got a pair of MXL 603's that I modified and they sound pretty good, certainly not too bright, but if you can afford them, I'd get a pair of AKG 451EB's or go crazy and get a pair of Neumann KM84's. The 451's and the KM84's are very versatile mics.

Ribbons are good too, a little dark maybe, just depends on what you're recording and what kind of sound you're after... it's personal.

I prefer the darker overheads.I find 451's a bit too bright - or maybe it's my 451, or my cymbals. The thing about the darker ribbon mics is that they usually take eq'ing well. I know guys who usually crank the top end on a Coles and it often sounds wonderful.

ChrisW wrote:I prefer the darker overheads.I find 451's a bit too bright - or maybe it's my 451, or my cymbals. The thing about the darker ribbon mics is that they usually take eq'ing well. I know guys who usually crank the top end on a Coles and it often sounds wonderful.

I love km84's. Not cheap though.

Re the 451's sounding a bit bright, I found when moving from mostly recording to tape to recording to digital, that where I would have formally used the AKG 451's I would often select something a bit softer sounding for overheads and I think it has as much to do with the transient response of the mic as the eq. Stav covered this concept when referring to matching the hardness factor of mic and sound source. The km 84 is definitely a softer sounding mic than the 451, and the ribbon's transient response is just the ticket when recording a harder signal to digital. I think it also relates to the difference to recording to tape and digital mediums. I initially found digital really hard sounding until i learnt to change mic selection and preamp gain settings etc. Another factor is I think preamps with transformers rather than electronically balanced are a better match for recording to digital when recording drums.